The July 2001
issue of Ekata was published fifteen days ahead of schedule in order
to reach the readers before the start of the BMM Convention in Calgary,
Canada.
A brand new feature,
'Chitragupta' is introduced in this issue. It is a picture
puzzle with a unique twist - a question and a couple of lines of
verse are given. The readers are required to devise the correct
answer by picking out appropriate letters or words from the couplet.
A cartoon is provided which should guide the reader to an appropriate
answer. The editor firmly believes that all you need is a good grasp
of Marathi in order to figure out the correct answer.
- Sushama Yerawadekar,
in her piece 'Samvadakiya', makes editorial comments regarding
the energy shortage the mankind is facing today.
- Arun Jatkar pays
a final tribute to the well-known and highly esteemed Indian writer
R.K. Narayan, who passed away on May 13, 2001.
- Aswad
- Vidyullekha Aklujkar of Richmond, B.C. critically reviews
Ga. Di. Madgulkar's poem 'Maher'.
- Mawa nate mawa raj
is the text of a speech made by Dewaji Tofa, a member of the gram-sabha
of Lekha Mendha in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra. Dewaji Tofa
is an influential member of the Lekha Mendha gramsabha and a very
effective spokesman of the Gond tribe of adivasis who inhabit the
region. He makes it amply clear in his speech that the villagers
must fully participate and have a say in the administration of their
own welfare and in any government actions that affect their region
and their daily life. His speech is a testament to the fact that
the adivasis have fully awakened to the challenge of democracy.
- Aakanksha(n)-puDhati
jithe Gagana ThengaNe by Swati Fernando of Calgary, AB
is an inspiring piece that takes a brief look at the notable achievements
of Maharashtrians in the fields of religious enlightenment, social
reforms, literary output, charity missions and performing arts.
Since the motto of the BMM Convention scheduled in Calgary (June
30 - July 2) is Akanksha(n)-puDhati jithe Gagana Thengane, this
piece ends with an apt invocation.
- In KrishNa-janma-niwas,
arthaat Yerawadyacha turung, Vasudeo Purushottam Telang of
Wheaton, IL, narrates an account of his 18-month detention without
cause in Indira Gandhi's raj under the 'emergency ordinance'. The
author, now 82 years of age, was 56 years old at the time he was
taken from his home and family and kept in the jailhouse in Yerawada,
Pune. The July issue carries Part I of the author's narration, in
which he recounts the circumstances of his arrest and the daily
life in prison as a 'political detainee' during the 'Dark Age of
Indian Democracy'.
- Dr.
Anand Garde
of West Simsbury, CT, in his rollickingly funny article American
RamayaN-Mahabharat likens the football 'superbowl' game of January
30, 2000 (Tennessee Titans vs. St. Louis Rams) to the Mahabharat
war. In this brilliant and uncanny piece, the author masterminds
the arrival of Lord Krishna on the 'battlefield' and makes the roaring
crowd of football fans listen to the Divine Message.
- Prasiddhi
is a short story in the classical genre by Gopal Kunchur
of Ottawa, ON and tells how one man's greed for publicity betrays
his friend in his hour of need.
- In
Montreal, Ma Ville / Montreal majhe gaon, Sudha Khadkikar
of Montreal, PQ fondly describes how the French-speaking city of
Montral is a home away from home for her.
- In Vaat-chukaara(n)madhe
kaam, Varsha Puranik of Westford, MA, shares her experiences
when she tutored the juvenile delinquents in a rehabilitation center
in Philadelphia.
- N. B. Datar of
Toronto, ON, in his 19th article in the on-going series 'Kavya-shastra-vinodena',
offers detailed explanations of ten Sanskrit subhashitas that describe
the nature of the brave. Mr. Datar's explanations make it easy to
appreciate the intent, the beauty and the meaning of the original
subhasitas for all, including those who never had a formal training
in Sanskrit.
- Dr. Varsha Gogate-Deopujari
of Centerville, VA presents a funny and frivolous, and yet a wholesome
account of the ascent to heaven of her favorite Marathi author in
Pu. La. Deshpande yanche swargarohaN.
- G. B. Phaltankar
of Charleston, WV remembers the endearing quick wit of P. L. Deshpande
in Pu. La.- eka prasanna vyaktimatvache puNyasmaraN.
- In nirNaya, a
short story by Ratnaprabha Shahane of Mechanicsburg, PA,
the wife makes a stunning resolution upon hearing her husband's
decision to leave her after decades of fruitful and happy married
life.
- In
Paravaliche shabda, Shriram Mulgund of Toronto, ON
explores the lighter side of our daily life, which seems to be ruled
by 'passwords'.
- Dr. Prakash Lothe
of Little Silver, NJ offers a tongue-in-cheek review of the Anglo-American
relations in Char divas 'England'che.
- 'Ekata' pays a tribute
to the recently deceased Malatibai Bedekar, a brilliant pioneer
in Marathi literature.
- In atma-shaTakam
athava nirvaNa-shaTakam, N. B. Datar of Toronto, ON
renders in Marathi the original psalm composed by Shankaracharya
asserting that one is nothing other than the eternal, blissful and
ever-auspicious brahman. The Marathi rendition is accompanied by
explanatory notes, which help elucidate the meanings of difficult
words in the original Sanskrit psalm.
- In
PhularaNi komejali, Sheela Bhandari of Irvine, CA,
pays a loving tribute to the prominent actor of Marathi Stage, Bhakti
Barwe-Inamdar, who passed away recently.
- In Baai - ek vegaLya
sasubai, Sandhya Karnik of Fremont, CA, pays a tribute
to her sister's mother-in-law, Mrs. Samanth, who was a teacher in
Chhabildas Girls' High School in Dadar, Mumbai, for many years.
- In Amachya ladakya
Bai, Indrayani Pishe of Fredrickton, NB, pays a tribute
to Mrs. Andalkar.
- In Majhe Papa aNi
Aai, Neela Sabnis of Placentia, CA, while paying homage
to her parents, remembers in fond details the life spent under their
shelter.
- As a continuing effort
to introduce the readers to the mission and the workings of noteworthy
institutions in India, the current issue of Ekata speaks about Ayurvidya
prasarak mandaL, of Sion, Mumbai. Ayurvidya Prasarak MandaL
offers four-year degree courses (accredited by CCIM, the chief authority
responsible for approving the curricula taught in medical colleges
in India) in Ayurvedic Medicine. The institute also runs a hospital
where, for a reasonably low fee, patients are cared for on an in-patient
as well as the outpatient basis in accordance with the teachings
of Ayurveda.
- Mr. N. B. Datar
narrates an account of Shri GaNesha-Yaga held in Toronto, ON. This
is claimed to be the first GaNesha-Yaga ever performed outside India.
- Poetry Corner: A
fresh bouquet of poems -
- Ek doLa, don
doLe, teen chaar doLe - Arun Jatkar Monroeville, PA
- KuThhetaree koparyaat
- Atul Patil Milpitas, CA
- Vaataa -
Sushama Yerawadekar Jamaica Estates, NY
- Vijaar -
Arvind Narale Toronto, ON
- The English Forum:
- In Aniket On
Ice, Sushama Yerawadekar of Jamaica Estates, NY,
presents an interview of Aniket Dhadphale, the first young man
of Indian parentage to be drafted into a Major League (National
Hockey League) in North America. In Aniket's Most Loyal Fans
in the Stands, Sushama presents an interview of Aniket Dhadphale's
parents.
- The English Forum
also features a poem by Sudha Khadkikar of Montreal,PQ - Age
of Communication.
- Ekata congratulates
Mr. Prakash D. Yerawadekar on his receiving the 'Architect
of theYear' award newly instituted by the Society of Indo-American
Engineers and Architects on the occasion of their Twentieth Anniversary
in 2000.
- Samasya-Purti Spardha
- To provide a platform for the readers' poetic inspirations and
to encourage a well-channeled blossoming of the new talent, Ekata
has been conducting Samasya-Purti Spardha every three months for
the past seven years. The winners of the first three places receive
cash awards of $25, $15 and $10 respectively.
- Winning entries for
Ekata's 27th Samasya-Purti spardha, published in the July 2001 issue
of Ekata, were submitted by:
- Anuradha Abhyankar
of Pittsford, NY (First Prize)
- Sumedha Kedar Jogalekar
of Napean, ON (Second Prize)
- Bhalchandra Hari
Bhate of Irvine, CA (Third Prize)
- The composition
submitted by Padmaja Vijay Das of San Diego, CA, received an
honorable mention.
- Marathi Crossword
- Sushama Yerawadekar's unique, challenging and entertaining Marathi
crosswords have become a regular feature of Ekata. Her challenging
new Shabda-kode # 20, 'Udo, Udo !' appears in the July 2001 issue.
Ekata also makes it a point to mention the names of those readers
who submit correct solutions to these crosswords.
- Correct solutions
to Shabda-kode #19 ('A warg') were sent in by Durga Pachchapurkar
of Toronto, ON, Rajani Ghui, of Nagpore, India, Shubhada Gokhale
of Australia, Meena and Kashinath Ghanekar of Toronto, ON and
Lata Abhyankar of Pittsford, NY.
- Ajastambha
- Half-page columns of entertaining writing - sometimes cynical,
sometimes serious, sometimes purely humorous by Arun Jatkar of Monroeville,
PA have also become a regular feature of Ekata. The current issue
features Ajastambha #26 and #27.
- Pustak parichaya
- The current issue of Ekata features introductions to three recent
publications -
- Mississippi by Dr.
Vijay Sabnis, (published by Matribhumi Seva Trust, Mumbai, 2001),
is introduced by Sudhir S..Kulkarni of Latham,,NY.
- Three collections
of poems, 'PaNati japun Theva', 'Kavita udhvasta ratrichya'
and 'Shahar-ek kabar' by Himanshu Kulkarni, (published by Rajahansa
Prakashan, Pune, 2000) are introduced by Neelima Kulkarni of
NJ.
- Hasyarekha by Dr.
Prakash Lothe, (published by Granthaali, Mumbai, 2001), is introduced
by Ushadevi Vijay Kolhatkar of NY
· Vachakanchya pratikriya - Ekata's readers share their
thoughts and feelings about the material published in recent
issues of Ekata.
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